


they thought he loved you

by firetan



Category: Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (Visual Novel)
Genre: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Canonical Character Death, Extended Demo Spoilers, MC (Not Specified), Not Canon Compliant, Other, SERIOUSLY DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANTED EXTENDED DEMO SPOILERS I'M JUST SAYING, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 08:10:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13700412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firetan/pseuds/firetan
Summary: It must be a glitch in the code.





	they thought he loved you

You didn't think he would come.

Surely, those footsteps you heard tapping down the halls had to be someone else. Ana, perhaps, or Jasper on his way to find you once again. It wouldn't be _him_ , of course, because he's not actually in love with you.

This scenario has become so familiar. You've lived it so many times, you're almost content to let the warm blood run down your forehead and obscure your vision, as always. It's interesting, dying like this - after the first few moments, the pain reliably fades away to a sort of warm numbness. You've experimented, too - seeing if you can avoid fatal injury by landing a certain way, or how much of the set piece needs to fall on you to leave you dead instead of merely crippled. So far, the only things you've discovered are how to die instantly or not die at all.

Doing this so many times, you're not sure whether this one is just another dream or another reality. Either way, it's likely just going to become another test run - a 'what-if' to add to your repertoire. You're not mad about it, really, since you know you'll just repeat from the start again.

A thin, high-pitched wail from the doorway is _not_ expected. Perhaps there's a glitch in the code this time, because there are rapid footfalls across the floor and then hands cradling your head and shoulders gently. Someone is trying to push the set away, but it just jostles your body and sends sparks of pain shooting up from the spot in your back where you're sure your spinal column has been broken in half, and you whimper in pain. (No matter how many times you replay this, the sensations are still just as vivid).

It _must_ be a glitch in the code, because the person who's abandoned the set piece and is now holding your free hand, begging you not to leave, is Penelope. And the gentle hands cradling your head, fingers trailing through your hair… must be her brother.

How did they know? He shouldn't have responded to the note, they shouldn't have even sent him one, _how—_

Lisle's voice is a soft whisper. "I thought it was Pen, but when I found her safe in her room… we came as fast as we could. I'm sorry it wasn't fast enough." His sister's weeping is softer now, and she's laid your limp head on her lap, her gentle fingers taking over for his and running through your hair as though to try and brush away the pain. "We should have been here sooner. _I'm so sorry._ "

His voice cracks, just the slightest, and maybe he had come to care, somehow. Not for a lover, but for a _friend_ , and that knowledge makes your heart easier. Maybe you could let this one be the last time, here in the arms of two dear friends who will miss you because of pure companionship, instead of any amorous infatuation.

You try to reach for him with the hand that Penelope isn't holding (for she still hasn't let go), and he notices the weak movement and completes the motion for you. Quietly, he continues. "You would have been a wonderful Queen, you know. And _have_ been an even better friend."

"We'll never forget you." Penelope's voice is tearful, but you think she's trying to smile through it, and you wish you could smile in return. Considering the blood bubbling between your lips, though, it's probably better that you can't. "Perhaps God was so impressed by you, He wanted to bring you to him early. So just… just make sure to wait for us to join you, please?"

Her brother laughs quietly, and you take a moment to wish the three of you could have spent more time together, talking. Your meetings with the royal siblings were some of the most fun you've ever had in your young (and quickly fading) life. "She'll have to wait a while, Pen. We still have a lot to do here in this world."

"I know." She laughs a bit as well, and you're glad they can keep away from despair even now. Yes, this is definitely the ending you want. "So be patient, please?"

You can't force the words past your lips, but they seem to understand the weak gurgle in your throat all the same. One of the two - Lisle, you think, because Penelope's started saying a quiet prayer - leans over and presses a gentle kiss to your bloody forehead, hair brushing against your cheeks as your consciousness fades.

Their voices vanish from your hearing, but in your final moments of lucidity you find it almost amusing. Whoever orchestrated this, they made a mistake, and unwittingly granted you the greatest parting gift possible.

They thought he loved you.

They were wrong, but in a way, you almost think they were right after all.

And it's that love - the love of friends, of _family_ \- that holds you tight as everything fades to black.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So I wrote this over a year ago, and didn't post it at the time (I think because this was before the extended demo was released, so this would have been firmly in alpha spoiler territory at the time and posting it would have been a Big No-No), but now I am! Huzzah!
> 
> This is basically a sort of glitch-in-the-code what-if for the end of week 5 ^^


End file.
